Posted on 03/19/2008 9:09:14 AM PDT by cowtowney
BEIJING - Among all the protests, pollution concerns and talk of boycotts surrounding the Beijing Olympics, a more basic problem has arisen for organizers: the toilets.
At the more than 30 test events held by organizers, the presence of squat toilets at many of the new and renovated venues has drawn frequent complaints.
"We have asked the venues to improve on this, to increase the number to sit-down toilets," Yao Hui, deputy director of venue management for the Beijing organizers, said Wednesday. "Many people have raised the question of toilets."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Should this be under “Breaking News”?
“Breaking Wind News”
How do you keep your clothing clean?
Not to mention making them handicapped-accessible.
Very carefully.
Actually, squatty potties are standard in third world countries. Just be careful not to drop anything. Getting it out is messy!
I have a good friend from Beijing. The first thing she noticed and really liked about the US was the toilet availability. Apparently, China does not provide toilets at historic sites. She was impressed that we could keep our historic sites historic, yet still provide modern toilets. I see that their toilet problem does not end at their historic sites.
What happens if you lose your balance?
Stay home. Watch on TV.
How big is the hole? What if you miss? You just kick it in? What if that Peking Duck comes back to haunt you and you are not thinking “solid thoughts”?
Will they have TP? That, to me, is a bigger issue. Also, even if they have it, will it feel like Charmin or the NYT (which is, of course, far more suitable for the job, even if it doesn’t feel right)?
The more serious problem is they are providing bamboo shoots instead of toilet paper.
Stay home, and plan to do something else.
A friend of mine was in Moscow in maybe ‘93, ‘94, or ‘95, and said that all of the toilets at McDonalds (regular toilets) had footprints all over the seats, because country folk had been through, and didn’t understand what they were supposed to do. You’d have the same problem in China. It would be a mess.
Carefully. Very carefully.
Not so bad once you get used to it. For some, there might be a real physical limitation. But I don’t suspect that will be the case with Olympians.
What? Admitting that westernizing China will improve China? Wonder how long it will take before his family receives the bill for the bullet his jailers put in the back of his head.
LOL, well having spent 6 weeks in China, I will say that squat toilets are a problem. Can’t speak for men, but for women, it’s a major inconvenience...and even though we were in a large city, the only regular toilet I ever saw was the one in our hotel room. Even in the hotel lobby restroom (and this was a 5 star hotel with outrageous rates) the toilets were squat toilets. Many places you had to purchase sheets of tp before you went into the stalls, or carry your own. And in the parks, well there’s no such thing as toilets, just “trenches” that you have to figure out how to straddle. Definitely a bit of culture shock for me.
“Not to mention making them handicapped-accessible.”
The Chinese government doesn’t have handicapped citizens - -
if you know what I mean.
My experience in China is to bring your own. Best to take baby wipes.
Don’t call ‘um “Bomb Sight $****ers” for nothing.
:-)
Used them many a time in other lands.
Half the time you’re in a place using this type of ‘facility’, you’re not as solidly grounded as you might like.
It can be a colorful experience. You’ll always remember it.
Depends upon how badly ya gotta go.
“that all of the toilets at McDonalds (regular toilets) had footprints all over the seats”
We have that same problem today in the USA where I work.
I wonder what kind of insects inhabit Beijing? Of course, to them a few cockroaches will be an extra protein snack.
Well that never happens in China, as they all know Kung Fu.
Having lived in Japan where there are a lot of these toilets, I can tell you from experience...
The safest route is to close the stall door and strip from the waste down. Otherwise, the slightest loss of balance can lead to a bad situation.
I don’t think China has ADA laws;-)
The bad news is my Japanese father-in-law fell and broke his hip last month (he had surgery and is recovering well). The good news is this finally got him to replace the squat toilet in his house with a western style toilet.
I vacationed in Japan last fall. First thing I figured out was the sign on the stalls for “western” versus pit style toilet. Most of the places I visited has half the stalls one way and half the other. Our hotel room had a real toilet of course.
I did notice how many women wore skirts over there and I bet that helps. Of course Japanese restrooms are insanely clean and well stocked with toilet paper so I didn’t encounter any other horrors that some mention.
This is why I don’t go camping, LOL.
I know a fellow who got an engineering job with Freeport-McMoRan, which included an overseas rotation to one of the company's copper mines in Indonesia. He reported that the locals thought that all Americans must have very good balance in order to squat so far above the ground.
When I was in Vietnam, it was usual to see the locals squat and take a dump along the roadside. They could squat and keep their feet flat on the ground thereby keeping their pants forward of the droppings. Oh, forget toilet paper, you had better make a clean purge. The locals were thin as rails and had no belly to get in their way. They also had spent many years conditioning their ankles to flex comfortably. Most westerners won’t be able to match the locals in a squat contest. Expect some poop in the pants. Better wonder about wiping. Better off just not going the the Olympics.
The dropzone is about 14 " long 10" wide. Get your clothes up and out of the way, especially if you're a man, that takes some finagling. Non-solid thoughts are actually easier unless accompanied by hugh gas. Then it is a helluva thing.
Also FWIW : Supposedly, the most commonly shoplifted item in the USA is Preparation H . No one wants to have the cashier see them purchase *that* item.
Actually it is easier out in the woods sometimes, and cleaner than a few places I have used. Our bath facilities, even the worst, are still much better than a vast majority of the people in the world use.
“How big is the hole? What if you miss? You just kick it in? What if that Peking Duck comes back to haunt you and you are not thinking “solid thoughts”?”
Valid questions all, but oh, so funny!
When our daughter and I were visiting friends in Japan, I just held it, if confronted with a squat toilet. Fortunately, most of the places we went had at least 1 ‘Western’ toilet. The other thing you had to look out for were the toilets for which you had to bring your own T.P. I wondered why, when we were walking around Tokyo, folks would hand out little packets of tissues, as advertising. Then my friend told me about the bring your own toilets, and I made sure to have a couple of packets with me at all times. ;o)
I can only imagine China’s response - You mean you allow your handicapped people to live?
I know a fellow who got an engineering job with Freeport-McMoRan, which included an overseas rotation to one of the company’s copper mines in Indonesia. He reported that the locals thought that all Americans must have very good balance in order to squat so far above the ground.
What’s the joke?
“Will they have TP? “
It depends on the location. I’ve seen both, but I would expect there to be TP. Some places only have a water hose to spray yourself. You wipe with your left hand, not your right.
This is why some countries cut off the right hand of thieves. You usually wipe yourself with your left hand and eat with your right hand. If you don’t have a hand, you have to do both with the left hand.
“You’d have the same problem in China. It would be a mess.”
I have a couple of friends that are working in China for a US corp. They have confirmed that the sit down toilets are quite messy because they do get used like squat toilets. He had to hold training sessions in the bathrooms for his staff and then again for each new hire.
You’re not going to be reading the Sunday sports section in that library
He ain't seen nuthin'. Hovering over a toilet seat at a bar once one has imbibed too much is an act the Flying Wallendas would appreciate.
lol in Misawa in the early eighties it was an eyeopener to see the old locals just squat over the binjo ditch on the street.
Hillbilly goes home, tries it out, comes back to store complaining he didn't cut any better than with the saw, and in fact he cut less and worked harder.
Salesman checks oil, gas, etc, fires up the chainsaw.
Hillbilly says: “What's that noise?”
What happens if you lose your balance?
I should think after a few drinks, squatting could be very messy!
lol in Misawa in the early eighties it was an eyeopener to see the old locals just squat over the binjo ditch on the street......
Why even leave your room? just hang a B.A. out the window...unless your on the ground floor.
Yep, worked with some Vietnamese, and they would do the same thing. Pissed us off seeing footprints on the seats all the time...............
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.